Box-fastener



(No Model.)

' T. P. CONKLIN.

BOX PASTENER. No. 328,463. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE F. OONKLIN, OF FON D DU LAO, WISCONSIN.

BOX-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,463, dated October 20, 1885. Application filed January 21, 1885. Serial No. 153,553. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE F. OoNKLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fond du Lac, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Box-Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in box-fasteners manipulated with the fingers without the use of a key and the objects of my improvements are to simplify the working and further reduce the costs of the material and mechanism of the article. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device, a portion thereof being broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the parts in place. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tang.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The case K, with socket provided with slot b, the tang or hasp O, notched to form a catch, 0, the oscillating button A, provided with the latch B, the packing D, and rivet a constitute the parts of the device and framework when together.

The oscillating button A is milled about its edge,and cast of metal with the prong or latch B offset from its under face near the edge thereof. It is bored for its pivot a out of its center, so as to leave the space between the pivot and latch B equal with the space between the pivot and the edge of the button opposite the latch, the button thus oscillating as a cam. The main purpose of this is to allow the packing D to cover the inside of the button equally and not interfere with the latch.

The upper wall of the casing is slotted on a curve of sufficient length and width to admit through it the passage of the latch into and out of engagement with the catch or notch c in the tang 0. It is also bored in the proper place for the rivet a, which constitutes the pivot. This button-latch A B is pivoted upon the upper wall of the case K in place to allow the turning through the slot 6 in its engagement with catch 0 0 when the box is closed.

A packing, D, of leather or other like elastic and frictional material, perforated at or near its center to receive the pivot a,is placed between the button and case-wall, and then button, packing, and case are riveted snugly together with the common rivet of commerce,a.

The elasticity of the packing D will admit of the button oscillating or turning with the application of ordinary hand or finger force, while its frictional quality will prevent the turning or displacement of the button-latch by jarring or other means aside from the actual exertion of the hand or fingers upon the milled edge of the button. The common rivet,a,thus used also takes the place of a special pivot requiring a nice construction, adjustment, and attachment, and so contributes largely toward the object of reducing the cost of material and mechanism in the manufacture of the article. One blow of the hammer on the point of the rivet,without special gage of force or adj ustment,puts together the parts of the article ready for use.

The lower edge of the tangO on the section 6, as shown in Fig. 3, I bevel or curve to a point, f, outside of the bottom of the notch or catch 0, for the purpose of moving aside the latch B, if left in the way of the tang in shutting the box or trunk.

I do not claim, broadly, the combination of the button-latch with the tang-catch in box or trunk fasteners; but

What Ido claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a box-fastener, the combination,witl1 the case K, the eccentrically-pivoted and oscillating latch-plate A, provided with latch B, the yielding and frictional packing D, interposed between said case and plate, and the rivet a, fastening the case and plate together and supporting the packing, of the tang O, having notched catch 0, and beveled lower edge, e f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

THEODORE F. OONKLIN.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. ARNOLD, J. B. PERRY. 

